'Divergent' brings 'Hunger Games'-like frenzy to stars, audiences

By Todd Leopold, CNN

Updated 8:52 AM ET, Thu March 20, 2014

'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – "Divergent" has cast some big names -- Kate Winslet, Shailene Woodley and Ashley Judd, to name a few -- and an even bigger expectation to blow out the box office when it opens on March 21. Whether you're already a fan who needs a refresher or brand new to the world of Beatrice "Tris" Prior and her struggle, consider this your initiation into the newest YA movie craze.

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'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – The series revolves around a teen named Beatrice "Tris" Prior who lives in a dystopian version of Chicago where the population is divided into five groups based on moral values in an attempt to keep peace.

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'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – The idea is the brainchild of Veronica Roth, who wrote "Divergent" and its sequels, "Insurgent" and "Allegiant." Roth, 25, released the first book in the series in spring 2011. Film rights to "Divergent" were snapped up by Summit Entertainment before the book was even released.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – With the "Divergent" trilogy, Roth has created a massive following that has waited anxiously for each installment. As of January 1, 2014, publisher Harper Collins announced the series had sold 10 million copies, according to USA Today.

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'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – In Roth's futuristic version of Chicago, everyone in society falls into one of five groups, or "factions": the highly intelligent are "Erudite," the artistic and peaceful are "Amity," the brutally honest are "Candor," the incredibly brave are in "Dauntless," and the selfless are in "Abnegation." Those who don't have a faction are left on the fringes of society, absent an identity or community to belong to.

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'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – Tris and her family, the Priors, fall into the "Abnegation" faction, where putting the needs of family and society above your own is paramount. Each faction's principles are reflected in their style, so those in the selfless category wear simple, neutral clothing to better demonstrate their lack of self-importance.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Just because you're born into one faction doesn't mean you have to stay there. Every eligible young adult is allowed the opportunity to choose the faction that best fits with their personality at a Choosing Ceremony. Tris' father, Andrew Prior (Tony Goldwyn), wants Tris and her brother, Caleb, to stay in the Abnegation faction.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Tris' mother, Natalie Prior (Ashley Judd), is more open to her children moving into a different faction, even though that means they'd leave their home behind.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Tris' brother, Caleb (Ansel Elgort), for example, decides to join the Erudite faction in keeping with his thoughtful demeanor.

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'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – Before announcing their chosen faction at the Choosing Ceremony, the students take an aptitude test that reveals their strongest value. The test is over when one value is isolated, but Tris doesn't fit into just one category, which makes her "divergent." Test results are supposed to be kept secret, which is doubly important in Tris' case: If she's discovered to be divergent, she'll be viewed as a threat to society.

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'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – At the annual Choosing Ceremony, those who are eligible make a decision that will change their lives forever: Once they select a faction and publicly make their choice they cannot change it, and have to leave their old life behind. Their aptitude tests don't determine their choice, but are supposed to aid it.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Unlike Caleb, Tris chooses the Dauntless faction, which is all about bravery and cultivating a spirit of fearlessness. In order to make it in this faction, you have to be OK with stunts of daring like leaping on and off trains, handling weapons and engaging in merciless combat.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Tobias, or "Four" (Theo James), teaches the Dauntless newcomers the ropes, and has a particular soft spot for Tris.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Joining Tris as a Dauntless newcomer is Christina (Zoe Kravitz), who comes from the frank Candor faction and quickly becomes Tris' friend during their training.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – There's also Will (Ben Lloyd-Hughes), who comes from the Erudite faction but is a little too gregarious for that high-minded lifestyle.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Like Christina, Peter (Miles Teller) comes from Candor, and he's as brutal in a physical fight as he is with his honesty. Peter and Tris at first have an antagonistic relationship, but it eventually evolves into something more complex.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Al (Christian Madsen) is from the creative, gentle Amity, and isn't a good match for the tough Dauntless faction.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Molly (Amy Newbold) is another one of the initiates who hails from Candor and sides with Peter against Tris.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Along with Four, Eric (Jai Courtney) coaches newcomers in the Dauntless way of life. A leader in Dauntless, Eric is a cruel coach who believes in showing bravery through competition and force.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Max (Mekhi Phifer) is another leader of Dauntless, and agrees with Eric's philosophy on what it means to be fearless.

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What to know about 'Divergent' – Tori Wu (Maggie Q) is a member of the Dauntless faction who administers Tris' aptitude test and knows that her results were inconclusive. As Tris becomes an initiate of Dauntless, Tori and her tattoo shop -- where other members trickle in for ink, since getting body art is one way to show bravery -- become a haven for Tris.

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'Divergent': A guide to the newest YA movie craze22 photos

What to know about 'Divergent' – Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet) is the leader of the Erudite faction. Brilliant but cold and calculating, Jeanine's intelligence can be a danger to others.

Shailene Woodley and Theo James weren't expecting a frenzied mass of "Divergent" fans to greet them at a premiere in early March.

Well, they'd better get used to it.

The two stars of the new film, set for release Friday, were the focus of a swarm of at least 200 fans, mostly female, who screeched and cheered for their heroes at a special Atlanta screening. Woodley wore Alexander McQueen; James, an affable Brit, signed autographs. Both answered questions. The fans ate it up.

And why not? "Divergent" is being touted as the new "Hunger Games." That's no surprise, given its action-oriented female heroine, youthful cast and post-apocalyptic setting. The film is based on the first book in a best-selling trilogy by Veronica Roth, a series that also earned comparisons to Suzanne Collins' "Hunger Games" works.

"I don't know much about that world. None of us really engage in social media," she said at a CNN Center interview the day after the Atlanta screening. "So last night was sort of a shock. 'Oh, other people know about this movie, too.' "

"Divergent" has been a hot property ever since author Roth sold the rights to the trilogy before she even graduated college. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago in which the culture has been divided into five factions: Abnegation, who believe in altruism; Amity, the peaceful ones; Erudite, the intellectuals; Candor, the bluntly honest; and Dauntless, the fearless warrior class.

Beatrice "Tris" Prior -- the character played by Woodley -- is the daughter of two Abnegation parents. At 16, like everyone else, she takes an aptitude test to find the most appropriate faction for her personality. She finds out she's "Divergent," with equal aptitude for more than one faction. However, since such a classification is considered threatening to society, she's told to keep the information to herself. She ends up joining Dauntless, much to the disappointment of her parents -- "faction before blood," goes one of the culture's mottoes -- and undergoes a boot camp at which she meets Four (James), one of the camp leaders.

From there the plot concerns Tris' attempts to fit in -- or not -- Four's secrets (there's a connection with a political leader) and run-ins with the Erudite chief, Jeanine Matthews, played by a chilling Kate Winslet.

The book series, which also includes the sequels "Insurgent" and "Allegiant," has sold more than 10 million copies. More importantly, it's got that powerful fan base. There are several fan sites devoted to the series on the Internet, and Roth has more than 200,000 Twitter followers.

Such a following can both help and hurt a movie. Certainly there will be huge crowds awaiting "Divergent's" midnight showing, but if Tris and Four (and the ruins of Chicago, which are their own character in the movie) don't live up to their vision, the backlash could be fierce.

James, however, says that comes with the territory.

"You have to make your own decisions based on what you perceive the character to be," said James. "You have to make bold decisions, stick with them, and whatever will be, will be."

The two had plenty of help getting into character. They had their own boot camp to get into physical shape, and did some of their own stunts -- though stuntpeople stood in for the big falls, and special effects helped with certain details, like a zip-line run off Chicago's John Hancock Center.

They did go up in the big Ferris wheel on the Navy Pier, which Woodley remembers as a special night.

"It was a full moon, so we got to watch the moon go across the sky and go up and down this crazy 75-foot ladder. It was just magic," she said. "It's one of those moments where you wonder how you got this life."

Indeed, Woodley continues enjoying "this life." She says she's had good mentors in actors such as Clooney, Laura Dern and Winslet, people who "show up early, show up prepared."

"They all have in common the fact that they love the art of acting, still. They love being on a movie set," she said.

As "Divergent's" release nears, the two -- along with youthful co-stars including Miles Teller, Jai Courtney and Ansel Elgort -- will see if they can hold on to their love of acting in the midst of a celebrity culture that would like to reduce them to gossip fodder as superficial as members of "Divergent's" single-minded factions. History offers mixed lessons: The shrewd and award-winning Lawrence and the "Harry Potter" kids have apparently succeeded. Other young actors burn out as quickly as they rise.

James -- a veteran of several British TV series, including an episode of "Downton Abbey" -- seems intent on making the most of the opportunity to widen his horizons. As pre-production begins on "Insurgent" and "Allegiant," he's already done two other films: A version of Martin Amis' novel "London Fields" and a film called "Franny" from indie director Andrew Renzi. He may be living by one of the lessons of the film.

"One of the key messages of the film is that no one can be categorized," he said. "Everyone is multidimensional."

And Woodley? She's taking it easy for now. But, like the quietly astute Tris, she understands that you don't present all that you are.

"I think it's important to have your own secrets, preserve your own personal space," she said. "You don't give all of yourself away."